Chain.



G. L. THORNTON & E. A. OLSEN.

CHAIN.

APPLlCATlON FILED JUNE e. 1916.

1,293,247, Patenaed Feb. 4,1919.

' Sits x "-s hird ii i GILBEBT L. THORNTON AND EDWARD A. OLSEN, 0F PORTLAND, OREGON.

CI-iMN.

Application filed June 6, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GILBERT L. THoRN TON and EDWARD A. OLsnN, citizens of the United States, residing in the city of Port land, county of Multnornah, and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chains, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relatesto certain improvements in chains, and more particularly to a new form of link from which a chain having special advantages can be made, as, for example, a non-skid chain, or it can be used as a sprocket chain, because of the uniform openings between the links.

Among the salient objects of our invention is to provide in a chain a link having fourlattaching loops, or openings, having two on each side of its body portion, whereby when the two loops or openings at one side of alink are connected to the corresponding loops, or openings of an adjacent link, there is left between the body portions, which are parallel with each other, and between the connected loops or openings, a unif rm opening, or space. Our link is adapted "for non-skid chains. i that each link has four conn case any one connection or loop b oil. chain is not parted in a We}; to tease a iarge area of the tire exposed. Another object of our link is that in the preferred form thereof, each link is composed of two pieces of wire twisted together and movable relative to each other, hinge -:tashion, so that the Transverse non-- links more readily conform to t curvature of the tire when us skid chain.

In order that others may more clearly understand our invention, we have illustrated the preferred form thereof iii-the accompanying sheet of drawings, which we will now describe.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary View showing two side chains with a connecting chain formed of our improved links.

F 2 shows atlat view of one of our links,

2 shows an end View thereof with one part moved relativeto the other part, as indicated in dotted lines. I

Fig. 3 shows a means of connecting a shorter series of our new links to the side chains, as where only three or four of our links are used in the middle of the tire tread; and

Specification of Letters L ment.

Patented Feb. 4.. 1919.,

Serial 3T0. 101,822.

Fig. at is a fra nnentary view of a tire showing two sets of our links as applied thereto.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, our improved chain, as here illustrated. is composed of a series of links 1l, each link being composed of two short pieces of wire twisted together in the manner shown, and having their opposite ends formed into connectlng loops, or openings, as 22. The two p rts are movable relative to each other in the manner shown at 3, in dotted lines, Fig. 2, that is, the two parts turn slightly one upon the other, about an axis extending longitudinally through the twisted portions, as will be clear from 2. Thus the opposite loops 22, on the different pieces composing the link, can conform to the transverse curvature of the tire, which is an advantage over a. construction in which the two parts are rigidly secured together, although this form is-an improved construction over anv form of links with which we are familiar. i

In the drawings, edesignate side chains adapted to be connected at intervals by short chains 5, made up of our improved links 1-4.. i

@111- impro gethd. as Sl'lOM s, n connected to n, with their twisted body portions in spaced pa allel relationship, form uniform spaces 6--t therebetween.

-While we have shown our link made of twisted wire having a body portion with four attaching loops, "lines, that lir is no. the ia four w L come at ithin and we do not, I %E3ltl0l1 to the ticula one here she except as we me; be limited by the I appended claims.

We claim:

1. in a chain, a series of links, each comprising a body composed of two twisted wires, each of which. is formed into connectingloop at its opposite ends, whereby to form four connec ing loops each link, thetwo parts each link "fini gmovable relative to each other, snbstantially as described.

2. in combination with a wheel, holding means at opposite sides of the tire.connecting chains extending from one side of said tire over to the other side, comprising a series of links, each link comprising a twisted both, havinga pair or closed, independent 7 Mid connecting loops at each end, said links being connected together by said loops with. their body portions in spaced parallel re-,

lationship, substantially as described.

3. A chain of the character referred to composed of a series of links, each compris- 10 necting loops for each link, said links being connected to each other with the bod ortions of the links in spaced parallel re ationshi substantially as described.

igned at Portland, Multnomah county, Oregon, this 31sL I y of May, 1916.

GILBERT L. THORNTON. EDWARD A. OLSEN. In presence of I. M. GRIFFIN, J. C. STRENG. 

